Battle of Kostiantyniv

The Battle of Kostiantyniv (Ukrainian: Битва під Костянтиновим, Polish: Bitwa pod Konstantynowem; 26–28 July 1648) was fought between the Zaporozhian Host and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth as a part of the Khmelnytskyi Uprising. Near the site of the present-day town of Starokostiantyniv on the Ikopot and Sluch Rivers in Ukraine, a forces of the Zaporozhian Cossacks and the Ukrainian peasants under the command of Maksym Kryvonis and Ivan Hyria attacked the Polish–Lithuanian army under the command of Jeremi Wiśniowiecki, Janusz Tyszkiewicz Łohojski and Władysław Dominik Zasławski.

Battle of Kostiantyniv
Part of the Khmelnytskyi Uprising
Date 26–28 July 1648 Location Kostiantyniv, Ikopot and Sluch Rivers, Podolian Voivodeship, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Result Polish–Lithuanian victory See Aftermath
Belligerents
Zaporozhian Host	Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Commanders and leaders
Maksym Kryvonis Ivan Hyria	Jeremi Wiśniowiecki Janusz Tyszkiewicz Łohojski Władysław Dominik Zasławski
Strength
24,000–34,000 peasants 16,000 cavalry and infantry	30,000–32,000 servants 8,000–10,000 cavalry and infantry
Casualties and losses
10,000–15,000 killed and wounded	400–500 killed and wounded

Battle

First Battle

Jeremi Wiśniowiecki, expecting an attack by the Krzywonos (about 60,000 men, including 20,000 seasoned veterans and 40,000 Tatars), captured Konstantynów and set up camp along the Słucha River. The Polish army advanced along the Sluch River. A scouting party reported the approach of the enemy. Soon a powerful Cossack army appeared on the right bank of the Sluch. The Polish army was positioned in its traditional way: Krzysztof Korycki and Janusz Tyszkiewicz's cavalry were on the right wing, Wiśniowiecki and his cavalry were on the left, and the infantry and artillery were in the centre. The enemy was on the other side of the river, allowing the Polish scouts to cross. After a brief melee, the Polish scouts withdrew. Krzywonos, confident of his numerical superiority, launched a frontal attack. Ivan Hira and a cavalry regiment from Bialystok attacked the Poles in front and drove them back across the river. The crossing was defended by Obersteiner Samuel Osinski with a company of musketeers and several regimental guns, supported by a battery of several cannons from Wiśniowiecki. The fire was so intense that the Cossacks retreated in confusion. Now several cavalry flags struck the Cossacks and pursued the fleeing men to the Cossack camp, a mile and a half away. The cavalry then overran the surrounding hills, awaiting the arrival of the infantry and artillery needed to storm the camp. In view of the falling dusk and the considerable numerical superiority of the Cossack army, the capture of the stockade was abandoned and the cavalry was withdrawn back to the Polish bank of the river. On that day, the Cossack army lost 2-3 thousand men, not counting prisoners of war (including Polujan).

Second Battle

After the Polish stock and infantry had departed at a distance of two miles from Konstantinovsk, the Cossacks moved to attack. The ford was initially defended by an infantry company (120 soldiers) under Osinski, but it was soon withdrawn and was defended by Dominik Zaslavski's dragoons during the main attack. The cavalry was pushed back from the river.

Krzysztof Korycki and Janusz Tyszkiewicz occupied the right wing, Prince Wiśniowiecki the left. Suchodolski, Osinski's infantry and artillery stood in the centre. According to Wiśniowiecki's plan, it was decided to take advantage of the favourable terrain conditions and use a cavalry charge on the freshly crossed enemy forces.

Krzywonos positioned the stockade together with the Zaporozhian infantry on the right wing facing Korycki, the left wing was occupied by the rest of the army (mainly black). In the centre stood most of the cavalry, some infantry and artillery. Under Cossack artillery fire, the defence of the dragoons guarding the crossing collapsed. The enemy proceeded to make a general crossing. Under the fire of Polish cannons, Krzywonos began forcing the Sluch on his left wing. Wiśniowiecki halted the artillery fire and withdrew his troops, posing as a retreat, thus allowing the Cossacks to cross. When several thousand Cossacks had crossed, the cavalry moved to charge with full force. The enemy, with heavy losses, was driven back across the river in its entirety, and the cavalry, before returning to its previous positions, managed to capture 4 cannons and 2 hook guns from across the river. A similar manoeuvre was repeated three more times.

On the third occasion, the Polish cavalry crossed the Sluch and struck at the Cossack artillery, capturing 9 guns. The Cossack cavalry, which had previously crossed, did not dare to strike at the Polish rear. The Polish army, due to being too outnumbered by the enemy and because of the lack of infantry, which had been sent back earlier, did not attempt to capture the Cossack stockade. Wiśniowiecki decided to retreat to Kolczyn. Krzywonos soon advanced to the other bank of the Sluga and took Konstantinov.

Aftermath

The Cossacks lost 10-15,000 men, the Poles only 200-300. From a strategic point of view, the battle was of little importance, although considerable forces were involved, and it did not affect the spread of the rebellion. The march of the Cossacks was not stopped - they soon occupied Volhynia and Podolia and besieged Kamieniec Podolski.

Tactically, however, the Poles were victorious, with the commanding talent of Jeremy Wisniowiecki shining against the backdrop of Maxim Krzywonos.

Although the Cossacks managed to cross the river, they suffered heavy casualties and, more importantly, were unable to hold off the Poles until the arrival of Khmelnytsky, who was still in Pavolocha on 30 July.

References

• Władysław Andrzej Serczyk: Na płonącej Ukrainie. Dzieje Kozaczyzny 1648-1651. Warszawa: Książka i Wiedza, 1998. ISBN 83-05-12969-1.
• Jerzy Bordziłowski (red.): Mała encyklopedia wojskowa. T.1. Warszawa: MON, 1967
• Romuald Romański: Wojny kozackie. Warszawa: Bellona, 2005. ISBN 83-11-10174-4
• Romuald Romański: Książę Jeremi Wiśniowiecki. Warszawa: Bellona, 2011. ISBN 978-83-11-11524-8

• Zbigniew Wójcik: Dzikie Pola w ogniu. O Kozaczyźnie w dawnej Rzeczypospolitej. Warszawa: Wiedza Powszechna, 1971.

• Widacki Jan, Kniaź Jarema, Katowice 1985